Container



March 11, 19.518` H. N. *l-,lovLAND l 2,826,349 CONTAINER 4 Filed July 21, 1954 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 e 54x. EL (55 55 3 o4 [.5v ya? 57 Lz \44 115 les l4s w l4a 43 a ez 4% 42 L53, @1406? f ul AS 1.. I' i INVENTOR.

ATTof/eA/'Eys AHou/EDN HOV/ AND 2,826,349 v Patented Mar. 11; 1958 CONTAINER Howard N. Hovland, Appleton, Wis., assigner to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application July 21, 1954, Serial No. 444,740

8 Claims. (Cl. 229--17) This invention relates to Va carton or container particularly adapted for the packaging and dispensing therefrom of llowable productssuch as liquids, granulated substances and the like. In particular, my invention provides a most convenient carton for the packaging of milk.

My carton is readily formed of paper board which can be waxed or otherwise treated to provide the necessary liquid leak-proofness, and may be made from a unitary blank of such material, thus permitting the economy of manufacture necessary in the competitive market developed through widespread use of this type of container for milk.

Experience with these paper board milk containers has proved it necessary to incorporate a conveniently-available and substantially dripeproof dispensing means. In addition, health requirements, as in many cases set forth by actual legal requirements, make it mandatory that the dispensing opening be shielded from human contact and other possibilities of contamination while the carton containing the product is handled during retail sale and up to the point of utilization of the consumer, and in addition that after initial dispensing from the carton the closure of the dispensing opening automatically result in return of the pouring lip or opening to a protected position to prevent contamination.

My invention provides the features above set forth in a highly advantageous manner, and in a construction requiring a minimum cost.

The particular objects and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the paper board blank from which my carton is formed,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tube initially formed from the blank of Figure 1 in erecting the carton,

Figure A3 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of my completely erected carton, showing details of the top of the carton which incorporates my invention,

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partially cut away,

similar to Figure 3, showing the initial stage of release of the dispensing opening,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of my entire carton, showing the dispensing opening in substantially fully open position,

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5, but showing the dispensing opening in fully open position for dispensing of the contained product,

Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along the lines 7--7 of Figure 3, and showing details of the formation of the top of my carton, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view, partially cut away, showing an initial step in the formation of my carton.

Referring first to Figure l, it is seen that my carton is made from a single paper board blank 10, suitably cut and scored to divide it into a number of walls, panels and flaps. Four main wall panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 are respectively separated from each other and hingedly cont 2 t nected together along score lines 15, 16 and 17. A glue ilap 18 is hingedly connected along one side edge of wall 11 by a score line 19, ap 18 being divided by score lines 20, 21 and 22 into glue ap portions 18a, 18b, 18e and 18d.

Bottom closure iiaps 23, 24, 25 and 26 are respectively connected to walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 along score lines 27, 28, 29 and 3l). The bottom closure flaps are separated by cut lines or small cut out portions 31, 32 and 33.

Top panels 34, 35, 36 and 37 are hingedly connected to walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 respectively along hinge score linesV 38, 39, 46 and 41. Side top panels 35 and 37 are divided by score lines 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 into panel portions 47 hinged respectively to walls 12 and 14, panel portions 48 and 49 diagonally hinged to portion 47, and panel portions Sti and 51 respectively hinged to portions 48 and 49 and hingedly connected together along score lines 46. Panels 34 and 36 have free end edges 34a and 36a respectively. v

Rear top panel 34 is divided by score lines 52 and 53` into panel portions 54, 55 and 56, panel 54 being separated from a panel portion 48 by score line 57 and panel portion 55 being separated from adjacent panel portion 50 by score line 58. Score line 19 respectively separates ilap portion 18e from panel portion 54 and ap portion `18d from panel portion 55.

Front top panel 36 is divided by score or cut score lines 61 and 62 and score lines 63 and 64 into panel portion 65 hinged to wall 13, panel portions 66 diagonally hinged to portion 65, panel portion 67 hinged to portions 65 and 66 and panel portion 68 hinged to portion 67.

Panel portions 49 and 66 are separated by score lines 69 and panel portions 5l are separated from portion 67 j by score lines 70.

Extending laterally across panel portion 67, substantially in the longitudinal direction, is a perforation line 71, which perforation line continues substantially into adjacent panel portions 51.

With additional reference to Figure 2, the carton is iirst assembled into tubular form by erecting panels 11 and 13 perpendicular and panel 14 parallel to panel 12, and the exterior surface of flap 18 is adhered to the interior surface of panel 14 adjacent its free edge by any suitable and well-known adhesive. The bottom of the carton is formed by folding in order bottom closure ilaps y24, 26, 23 and 25 perpendicular to panels 11, 12, 13

and 14, first applying a suitable adhesive to the' bottom closure flaps where they overlap to provide a leakproof bottom closure of well-known formation. In actual use, the thus-formed open-ended container is then usually panels 34 and 36 similarly pivot about score lines 38 `and 4d. As will be obvious, one pair of panel portions 48-49 pivot beneath and in substantially face-to-face relationship with front top panel 36, and the other pair moves similarly with respect to rear top panel 34.

With additional reference to Figure 8,'as the above pressure causes the panel portions 56 and 68 to approach until scored hinge line 64 is in contact with the upper free edges of portions 50. Final pressure is thenV yapplied to panel portions 55 and 67 to cause the uppermost por tion of the gable top, including panel portions 50, 51, 55 and 67, to stand erect from their scored hinge lines 44, 45, 52 and 63, as in Figure 3. Panel 56 is then folded over the top of the erected carton to overlie the exterior surface of panel 67, and a staple 72 or other suitable securing means is applied to maintain the closed condition of the carton top.

It is apparent that pairs of inclined panel portions 48- 49 hingedly connect the lateral edges of inclined portions 54 and 65-66 to the adjacent lateral edges of portions 47, and that portions ft, 51, 55 and 67 are in juxtaposition.

It should be noted that the above closure operation may be performed at high speed by automatic machinery of known construction, thus permitting most advantageous commercial surroundings. The filled carton can then be distributed to the consumer through suitable sources, for dispensing of the contained product such as milk.

The carton is opened by applying thumb or other pressure to the top of the carton, as shown in Figure 4, to force the upright portions of the top back and cause severance of the lines of weakness provided by perforation line 71. This breaks the lower half of panel portion 67 away from the upper half, and extends this breakage partially'into panel portions 51. Referring also to Figure 5, squeezing pressure such as by the finger .s then applied at score lines 69 connecting panel portions 49 and 66, causing the front half of the gable top to open out- Wardly as shown in Figures 5 and 6. This pressure automatically causes the opening of the top largely as a result of the initial tendency of the top to open due to the inherent resilience of the paper board material, and this resilience tends to maintain the thus-opened top in the dispensing position illustrated in Figure 6. The thusopened carton is then ready for dispensing of the contained material, score lines 6l and 62 acting to create with panel portions 65 and 66 a trough extending into panel portion 67. The sharp lip formed at the intersection of score lines 61 and 62 with the free edge formed by severance line 71 provides a drip-proof dispensing opening.

The carton is closed by pressing panel portion 65 backwardly, carrying portions 49 and 66 and the extended parts of portions 67 and 51 with it, until the free edge of the lower part of panel portions 51 and 67 at perforation line 71 are forced beneath the downwardly-extending free edge 34a of and behind panel portion 56, where they are held in the carton closed position shown in Figure 3 by portion 56.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 and 7, it will be seen that my carton is dirnensioned so that in the erected position the lower free edge of panel portion 56 extends below at least a major portion of perforation line 71, so that panel 56 slightly overlaps panel portions 5l and 67 below perforation line '71. This overlapping provides additional strength in the carton `as originally filled and closed, and permits the above-described reclosure of the top with retention of the dispensing opening means in the closed position. To facilitate this purpose, perforation line '7l if desired may be slightly angled or biased as I have illustrated in Figure l, so that the free top edge of the dispensing means formed by perforation line 71 may be more readily forced below the free edge 34a of and behind panel portion 56 in reclosing the opening.

It should be particularly noted that in the reclosed position of the dispensing means shown in Figure 3, the entire dispensing lip is beneath and behind panel portion 56, where it is protected from contamination.

It will be obvious that various modications of my invention might readily be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly no limitations on my invention rare intended except as specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gable-top dispensing container, the container top including a pair of opposed, inclined first panel portions in juxtaposition at their upper ends, a pair of opposed, inclined second panel portions of substantially triangular shape, pairs of third panel portions hingedly connecting the lateral edges of said first panel portions to the adjacent lateral edges of said second panel portions, a line of Weakness in one of said first panel portions adjacent and substantially parallel to the top edge thereof, said line of weakness being positioned intermediate the upper and lower limits of said one first panel portion and extending completely across said one first panel portion and substantially into the third panel portions hingedly connected to each lateral edge of said one first panel portion, and an unweakened fourth panel portion connected to the upper edge of the other of said first panel portions and folded over said juxtaposed upper ends to overlie the outer surface of the upper portion of said one first panel portion in juxtaposition therewith, said fourth portion being of length to continue only slightly below and overlie the line of weakness in said one panel portion, the` juxtaposed upper ends of said panel portions all being secured together in the area intermediate said line of weakness and the top of the container, said line of weakness providing means for ready severance of the parts of said one panel portion and of said third panel portions below said line from the part above said line, whereby upon such severance the panel portion parts below the line of weakness may be forced outwardly from beneath said fourth portion to form a dispensing opening in the container and after dispensing said parts may be returned behind said fourth portion for retention thereby in container-closed position.

2. A container according to claim l, in which the midportion of said line of weakness is biased slightly downwardly away from the top of the container to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening and return of the opening means to container-closed position.

3. A container according to claim 2, further character ized by having inclined converging second lines of weakness in said one panel portion extending from adjacent the lower corners of said one portion and meeting adjacent the mid-point of the first-mentioned line of weakness,

to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening.

4. A container according to claim l, further characterized by having inclined second lines of weakness in said one panel portion extending from adjacent the lower corners of said portion and meeting adjacent the midpoint of the first-mentioned line of weakness, to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening.

5. A gable-top dispensing container made from a unitary paperboard blank, the container including a bottom, opposed pairs of side wall panels, first and second opposed pairs of gable-top panel portions connected to the upper ends of said wall panels, said panel portions being inclined inwardly to forrn the gable-top, a third pair of opposed panel portions connected to the upper edges of said first pair of panel portions, fourth pairs of panel portions connecting adjacent lateral edges of the first and second pairs and opposed lateral edges of the third pair, and an unweakened fifth panel portion connected to the upper edge of that third portion which is connected to one of said first panel portions, and a longitudinal line of weakness extending across that one of the third panel portions which is connected to the other of said first pair intermediate the `upper and lower ends thereof and extending substantially into the fourth panel portions connected to said one third panel portion, said third portions being held uprightly in juxtaposition to each other and the fifth portion being folded over the upper end of the gable-top to overlie the upper part of said one third portion containing said line of weakness and extending to overlie and extend only slightly below the line of weakness and secured in such position, said third and fifth panel portions and the fourth pair of panel portions situate intermediate the third pair all being joined together in the area intermediate said line of weakness'iand the top of the container, said line of weakness providing means for ready severance of the parts of the third and fourthV portions therebelow from the parts thereabove, whereby upon such severance the panel portion parts below the line of weakness may be forced outwardly from beneath said fifth portion to form a dispensing opening in the container and after dispensing said parts may be returned to original position for retention behind the fth portion in container-closed position.

6. A container according to claim 5, in which the midportion of said line of weakness isV biased slightly downwardly away from the topl of the container to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening and return of the opening means to container-closed position.

7. A container according to claim 6, further characterized by having inclined converging second lines of weakmentioned line of weakness, to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening.

8. A container according to claim 5, further characterized by having inclined converging second lines of weakness in said other of said trst pair of panel portions extending from adjacent the lower corners of said other portion and meeting adjacent the mid-point of the iii-stmentioned line of weakness, to facilitate formation of the dispensing opening.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,360,439 Monroe Oct. 17, 1944 2,687,840 Innes Aug. 31, 1954 2,695,745 Dixon Nov. 30, 1954r 2,751,137 Alden June 19, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,954 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1952 

